Exposed

Family of dealers caged for drugs and kidnapping

THIS drug-dealing family from hell who kidnapped and held a man hostage are today behind bars.

The Callisons brought fear to the streets peddling heroin and terrorising neighbours with their anti-social behaviour.

Now the grandmother, mother and two sons have been locked up for a total of more than 23 years for the kidnap and drugs offences.

They bundled their victim into a BMW, drove him to a friend’s to show off, stabbed him with a knife, and threatened him with a knuckleduster and sword.

Isaac Callison, 23, had already been charged with heroin dealing along with his gran, 63-year-old Billie Callison.

But when former associate Eddie Lowdon borrowed and subsequently damaged Isaac Callison’s car the family sunk to new depths and hatched a plot to get money from his parents.

Isaac, his brother Shane, their mother Tracy and a friend Alan Knowles bundled Mr Lowdon into a car, stabbed and beat him before ringing his parents demanding money as he begged for mercy.

Jailing them, Recorder Stubbs said: “This involved the brutal detention and beating and the use of him as a hostage to extract money from his parents. It must be every parents’ nightmare to receive a call trying to extort money from them while threats are made and they could hear their son crying for help in the background. No mercy was shown to him and these offences are so serious only custody can be justified.”

The kidnap of Mr Lowdon took place in February this year at a time when he had an association with the family.

Having returned Isaac Callison’s car damaged, the heroin dealer summoned his violent, steroid-fuelled brother, Shane, to mete out revenge.

“Shane Callison, who had brought a knuckleduster, punched Mr Lowdon in the face. He then took out a knife and stabbed him with it in the top of his right thigh, in the groin. He was then handcuffed by Shane Callison who continued to kick and punch him. He said he had taken two days of steroids and had not been training.

“Then Tracy Callison came in with a very long box. Shane Callison said it was a shotgun, saying it would kill an elephant and if he didn’t get the money he was going to get it.”

A BMW convertible then had a big bag draped over the back seat and Mr Lowdon was bundled into the car.

Shane Callison stopped off at a former girlfriend’s house to show off his hostage and pick up a sword, which he threatened Mr Lowdon with.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Lowdon said: “I was frightened I’m now scared to go out of the house. I keep getting flashbacks and fear for my children. I was threatened with my family being harmed, I thought I was dead.”

Isaac Callison and Billie Callison, both of Napier Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, both admitted possession with intent to supply heroin after £1,500 of the drug was found at their home last August. Isaac also admitted kidnap and was jailed for seven and a half years,

Billie Callison was jailed for 18 months for the drugs offence.

Shane Callison, 21, of Park Terrace, Swalwell, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to blackmail, kidnap and grievous bodily harm and was locked up for seven and a half years.

Tracy Callison, 44, of June Avenue, Winlaton, Gateshead, admitted kidnap and was jailed for four years.

Alan Knowles, 28, of Napier Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, admitted kidnap and blackmail and was jailed for three years.

Today residents living in Napier Road said they were delighted the culprits had been locked up.

Pensioner Patricia Kinghorn, 72, a grandmother-of-two, said: “It is very worrying to think that drug dealers were living in the street and I’m glad they have now been locked up.

“Police would often visit their house and we used to be concerned for the youngsters living in the area. I think most people here will be glad to see the back of them.”

Dad-of-two Mick Reckton, 61, added: “I think it’s great they’ve been locked up because they made people’s lives a misery and it was horrible having the Callison family live in the street.”